Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Water(man's) Mark

There is a lovely picture (which I've cropped badly) of a Windsor Smith project in the January issue of Architectural Digest. The minute I saw the room I remembered it from a post on Corbu's Cave, painter Scott Waterman's blog.

That subtle, luminous chinoiserie shimmering on the wall is not paper, rather painting. But the really remarkable thing about it is the process. You can read how the project was conceived and executed here.

What did you think of the rest of the issue? I'm usually not a huge fan of international-themed issues, but thought several projects were great. Margaret Russell's editorial letter was very gracious, too. And may we never have another celebrity cover again.

One of my many passions--Chinese (and Japanese) lacquer screens--I wish that the Windsor Smith screen (absolutely gorgeous) were two panels larger. It is so reminiscent of Coco's Paris living room; but with a 21st c. twist. The silver leaf chinoiserie room is to die for--much more unique than paper. Thanks, Mary

Scott - good! I hope they never miss another post. Thanks, also for the additional links.

Megan - completely agree

Topaz - The magazine seems fresher to me already, though I wonder if some of the projects had been shot pre-Russell. I like the bolder font and the layout seems cleaner. I could open a bottle of champagne to toast the demise of the real estate section, but it's bad to speak ill of the dead.

Celebrity projects don't bother me, necessarily, as, let's face it, celebrities have money to complete great homes. I'd just rather see the good ones. AD has traditionally done great Hollywood coverage going way back and we owe a lot of terrific pictures to that tradition.

And, yes, the editor's letter was incredibly gracious. Can't wait to see what comes next.

Patricia O'Dell Shackelford

aka Mrs. Blandings

Come On In

I wandered into one of my favorite shops eight years ago to buy a dog ball and, through a very indirect route, ended up here writing about decorating, my family and life. My posts are not as frequent as they used to be, but you're welcome to drop in anytime.

What's that? Why "Mrs. Blandings?" Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House is a 1940's movie starring Cary Grant and Myrna Loy chronicling their adventures in renovating. In the movie, Loy delivers an iconic description of paint colors that nearly every design aficionado knows by heart. She is my muse.